So it is a supper date then?

Just a few quick points:

1) The Montreal Junior now have pictures from Monday's game up on their website. Most of the pics are of Junior players, but I saw Yeti, Stransky, MacAskill, Yeti, Randell, the backs of some Moose jerseys, and Yeti again.

2) The Chronicle Herald has posted a story and interview with Logan MacMillan in which they discuss his return to the Metro Centre this Saturday with the Rimouski Oceanic.

"I really have no idea what to expect," MacMillan said. "I’ve never been in the situation of getting traded and then coming back to the place where you played three and a half years. It’s all going to be new to me.

"I remember Kevin Cormier getting traded and Garrett Peters too. I was close to those guys and they just said it was all really weird; walking into the building and going to the visiting dressing room, then coming out on to the ice from the other end. I’m expecting it to feel the same way for me — weird."

"I kind of knew it was coming so it wasn’t too bad, but it was definitely different coming to a new city and putting on a different jersey," said MacMillan, selected in the second round of the 2005 QMJHL draft by the Mooseheads. "Those kinds of things did take a while to soak in.

"But it’s been great here. There have been great crowds in all the games up here. They pack the rink every night and they’re right on top of you and they’re really into it. That’s been fun."

Logan still owes me a dinner at The Cut Steakhouse from way back in July when he signed his contract with the Ducks. Cha-ching. Well he probably doesn't remember that he owes me a dinner, in fact he probably never knew he owed me a dinner... so I just thought I would let him know. He needs a good gourmet dinner since he is a boy in recovery. He was not playing with Rimouski last week because of injury. When he was out they suddenly became awesome, and have won their last 5 contests. Do you think that Logan is cursed?

3) News links, now with more criticism:
Chris Cochrane (Chronicle Herald) - Rainmen, Moose send bad vibes.
*bad link now corrected

4) Did you see that "hooked-up" segment with Matt Boland that aired on Eastlink when the Moose were playing the Remparts? Delightful! Personality is 1/2 of hockey, at least for women. Look at Boland laugh at children (or with children, whatever) because they can't read. Equally delightful. If they stick around long enough I do eventually grow to like them.

5) Oops - Moncton have fallen out of the CHL top ten:
1. Windsor Spitfires (44-6-0-1)
2. Vancouver Giants (44-4-0-3)
3. Calgary Hitmen (44-7-3-1)
4. Shawinigan Cataractes (40-11-2-0)
5. Drummondville Voltigeurs (40-9-0-3)
6. Quebec Remparts (39-10-0-3)
7. London Knights (37-12-0-2)
8. Belleville Bulls (34-14-2-2)
9. Saskatoon Blades (38-12-3-1)
10. Brampton Battalion (34-14-1-1)

Monday updates: Yeah...it's still monday

Today is Monday Jan 19th 11:00am-ish. Weather is shitty. I am home, alone, again - fool me three times... super shame on me (facepalm).

I am just taking a break from the excitement that is hymenopteran mushroom bodies to let you know who is hot, who is not, and who is left out in ze cold (besides moi). I did not do this last week because sometimes work supersedes laziness, which supersedes blogging (FYI it was Steven Anthony and Olivier Roy...Anthony was also CHL pizza delivery boy of the week, and Roy wins a home security system...or something like that).


QMJHL Players of the week:

For the second time since he joined the Mooseheads, Jan Stransky is the QMJHL offensive player of the week. Let's just put it this way: when he is playing, and not suspended, Stransky is hot. Ice melts in his wake, girls strip, and the Metro Centre goes wild. We don't need a zamboni, roll Stransky on the ice during intermissions - he will melt it and make it all smooth, because he himself is all hot...and slick.

In two games this weekend Stransky had 4 goals, 2 assists and was a +6. He also had a totally unexpected technique for making panties melt (the Q-site did not mention this, but it is very important) - damn that boy can hit.

Also rans include our own Yuri Cheremetiev, linemate of Jan Stransky and thus recipient of some of his radiant hot-hot-heat, Philippe Cornet (Rimouski), and Danick Paquette (Lewiston).


The Defensive player of the week is Maximum Chubby-Cheeks, I mean Maxime Clermont, of the Gatineau Olympiques. Gatineau are well out of their early season slump (all it took was a new Coach), and this week have defeated two league leaders, Drummondville and Shawinigan. Clermont was instrumental in the wins, coming out of the week with a 1.97 GAA and .940 sv% in two games. Props to Sébastien Piché (Rimouski), Maxime Robichaud (Victoriaville) and David Savard (Moncton) for trying, but Clermont has chubby-cheek power and goalie charms, so he wins.


Sportsnet Hot/Not:
Stransky is hot (see above)...there is simply no denying it. It is just like how I could not deny him cookies two games in a row.

The cold player is, ohhhhh snap, Logan MacMillan (Rimouski). Stransky stole his #11 and his hot game.

Considering the package the Océanic paid to acquire him before Christmas, MacMillan will need to step up. The first round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 was held pointless in three games with a minus-1 rating. The Memorial Cup-hosts may have bankrupted their future at this year's trade deadline by moving many draft picks which means players like MacMillan will be expected to bring a championship to the Océanic.

*aside to Logan* ...damn boy, look at you in your new jersey with all that hair; you look good... for a Rimouski player. The hair is hot in a "the morning after" kinda way. You, me, Veilleux and Cormier. Tell Cormier to leave the medal on. How 'bout it? Nah, I didn't think that would actually work. You are not a Tallindering kind of guy.

Quebec Remparts are the hot team and Chicoutimi the cold team.


Other stuffs:
1) Chad Earle got a goal with Victoriaville. *sighs*

2) If I had a chance to win a pair of small forwards, would I choose either of these? With his small form and his luxurious locks, Eagles looks like a bearded lady on the ice. I would not chose him as one of my slaveboys.


Did you know that Wildcats announcer Les Stoodley has a blog? Did you know that the Wildcats themselves have a blog (but it only crosslinks Stoodly's stuff for now)? Did you know that Moncton Wildcats Captain Matt Eagles has a blog? He totally has to update it, but still, it exists. Did you know that both are linked from the Moncton Wildcats homepage under "news". I had no idea. The Wildcats are Fucking Brilliant.

On that note...I have updated some of the links in my sidebar.

3) Willy Palov - Russell talks about new job.

White and MacMillan are tearing it up... on some other team

Rimouski finally won a game, after an 8 game losing streak that saw them get defeated by cellar dwellers such as Val d'Or. They recently came back with a 8-1 win over Val d'Or in the second of back to back games. One of their new aquisitions, Logan MacMillan has 4 goals and 5 assists and is a -5 overall in his first 9 games with the Oceanic. He has even done one of his fameous Logan MacMillan strip teases (disguised as a fight) during the loss to Val d'Or.

White and MacMillan, when they were Moose

Andrew White joined the MJAHL's Miramichi Timberwolves for their post X-mas run. So far he has 5 goals and 4 assists in 4 games. Those are some very sexy numbers.

If your question is: "Are you still angry about the Andrew thing?", the answer is: "yes". Please don't remind me. I am just glad to see that Andrew is having lots of success with his new team.

You're too young to be so cold.

Ugh. I am practically internetless. When I did get access, you wanna know what I did? Yeah, checked the Q site for trades.


MacMillan has been threatening to dump my ass for ages. He says I am am too skanky. So I cannot say I am very surprised that he has finally walked away to hook up with some tart in Rimouski. I hope they like shirtless wonders in Rimouski. I will miss his fleshy torso, his flaring nostrils, his fights and his ....uhhhh being injured.

In return Logan has said that this Guillaume Pelletier fellow should be my newest beau. I am hesitant, but he does have two very nice familiar Mooseheadie names: Guillaume and Pelletier.


As for goalies:

Mathieu, honey. We have to talk.
Sure Yetman is your Mentor, but just because he was named sportsnet cold player of the week back in early October, it does not mean that you should have been going for a cold player of the week "award" too.

pssst. Let me let you in on a little secret... it is not really an award. It is more of a dis. Shocking, I know. Sportsnet can be so damn mean. Don't worry. I have sent a box of Christmas Vipers to Patrick King's humble abode. I know you did not play well these past two weeks but no one is actually supposed to tell you that, let alone tell the rest of Canada. The cat is out of the bag now though. What are we going to do about this little situation? Think about that while we are on this little "break" - OK. I am just going to be trolling around Sydney not thinking of you while stalking Olivier Roy.

I know that this is a fairly new relationship, you and I, but may I just warn you that I am a skanky and fickle girlfriend. Just ask Bryce Swan.. and Logan MacMillan, Roger Kennedy, Steve Lund, Peir-Olivier Pelletier, Guillaume Monast, Jeremy Duchesne and Andrew White (Ok, I admittedly, am still not over Andrew).

It's about time Louis Boileau-Domingue

The Mooseheads faced off against the Moncton Wildcats tonight and lost by a score of 6-2. This was the final home game before X-mas. I have the DTs already.

Starting in nets for Moncton was their new baby goalie Louis Boileau-Domingue. I have been waiting all year for this. Louis faced 25 shots, allowing only two goals - both were tip-ins off of shots from the point by Justin Pender. Alexis Piette and Charles Bety had the goals for the Moose.

Charles Bety had the second goal of the game

Louis is speedy and he never stops moving. He was not really challenged so I didn't get a chance to see what he can really do under pressure, but given that the only goals he allowed were tip-ins, that in itself is pretty admirable. This is Louis's third win of the season. He is not getting so many games (only 6 so far this year) but hopefully that will change in the second half.

Do you think he knows he is my future imaginary Q-boyfriend?

The Moose played well in the first, getting both of our goals within 10 minutes. We came out of it up one goal, and then were a little dumb in the second allowing the wildcats to tie it up - when the Moose allowed yet another short handed goal... in the form of a break-away only a few seconds into our powerplay.

The third period however was a mess. It killed us. Four goals against! Merry X-mas to me. This loss is the coal in my X-mas stocking sock. Yes, I have been bad.

Moncton goals were scored by Lessard in the first, Brannon in the second (grrrrr), and Brown (x2), Cameron, and Lessard in the third. Brown (1) and Lessard (3) got some of those theoretical shiny stars for their hard effort and winning ways, as did Justin Pender.


Mathieu Corbeil takes the loss in nets for the Moose. This was, by far, not his best game, having allowed 6 goals in 33 shots. Ugh a 5-hole softie!!! Really Mathieu? Were you threatened and afraid that other young goalies would steal my heart? It is not unplausable. He does look like a fluffy baby chick...so very fluffy.

Supposedly, filling in for Yeti is a great learning experience for Corbeil. So this is him strutting his stuff, eh? Oi! Strangely enough, Dumaresque was not backing up Corbeil. The team had Yetman dressed even though he is still injured an hasn't skated for a week.


There was plenty of fun in fight form: O'Connor vs Sill (dreamy), Bona vs Boyle (ugh that hair - disgusting) and MacMillan vs Boyle (Logan made him bleed). For your entertainment may I present the Logan MacMillan strip tease (Courtesy of BelarusRikk).





Edit*
I forgot to mention that our PK was awesome today. The Moose killed 6 of 7. Good job PK boys. Kisses to the boys on the PK. Now, do that in Sydney too.

Yeah...I should probably mention this

Matthew Wuest is reporting that Nathan White of the Telegraph Journal is reporting that Sea Dogs General Manager Jacques Beaulieu has said that Logan MacMillan would be interested in playing for the Saint John Sea Dogs, should he be traded at the Christmas trade period. That was a handful of words, hey?

I like the Sea Dogs - I wish them only good things...like turtles cookies (delicious) and Presidents Cups. If Logan went to the Dogs I could be happy with that. If he went to Rimouski I would want to claw out some eyes.

So you can check those links for more details...

...but when I heard about the Dogs looking at Logan like he was dipped in chocolate, I kinda got to thinking about their 20 year old situation: why weren't the Sea Dogs trying to pick up Murd? Especially since their 20 year olds are not producing to expectation...then I went and actually read Nathan White's article and what do you know...they talk about Murd.

He's actively shopping for 20-year-olds, who can be traded at any time. Beaulieu made a pitch for Murdock MacLellan, who's on Cape Breton's protected list but playing for the Dieppe Commandos of the Maritime Junior A League. But Beaulieu said Screaming Eagles coach/GM Mario Durocher refused to trade the gritty two-way player to a team in the same division.

Now, I thought Murd was playing for Dieppe because 'he chose' the MJAHL for his chance to play a leadership role on a team that was local. Then I find out that Durocher is just being a dink; so Murd cannot play the highest level of hockey available to him, in a place where he can be comfortable at this stage in his career... because Durocher loves depriving kids of opportunities. Good job asshat.

Can you not tell that I am pro-player, and I believe that GMs should look at the best interest of the player. Murdock MacLellan is a high level Q-league caliber player. He should be finishing his career in the Q.

Edit - If the dogs can't get Murd, may I suggest Tomy Joly *lick*

Monday updates...What do you mean it's already Wednesday?

Ugh yeah. Please excuse my absence. We will just pretend I was too busy rolling around in the sack trying to complete the worlds longest goalie-snog-a-thon to be bothered writing a post. We made it into Guiness my babies.

Lazyness dictates a point form blog post:

1) Nicola Riopel did not participate in my snog-a-thon as he was too busy stopping pucks for the Moncton Wildcats in his attempt to be the QMJHL defensive player of the week. He was successful. He also remains satisifyingly STD free. Not only is he the QMJHL player of the week but he is also the CHL goaltender of the week. Nicola played out the week with a 3-0-0-0 record, 0.971 save % and a 1.0 GAA. "Riopel leads all QMJHL goaltenders with 13 wins and three shutouts. He also has a league best goals-against-average of 1.41, and save percentage of .950 in 14 games." God, I have GOT to get on that wagon. What am I thinking? I mean look at this? LOOK AT IT.

2) Did you know that Jonathan Roy of the Quebec Remparts remains unbeaten this season? WTF. Once upon a time I was having a conversation about my dreamy Guardiens and mourning the loss of bad-boy Travis Fullerton from the league (I like bad boys), when I was reminded that the baddest boy remaining in the Q is none other than J. Roy. My argument against him was that he sucked. Well guess who ain't sucking anymore. 0.945 and a 1.60 - that's like... naughty-sex worthy.

Secret Lovers:

3) The Sea Dog's Captain, Alex Grant, has signed an entry level contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Grant is also the only Nova Scotian player to be participating in the Canada-Russia Challenge. Oh and the Sea Dogs also made an Alex Grant Bobble head doll. I can't believe they are making bobble heads. I want Mooseheads bobble heads. Bobby Smith...please hire the Sea Dogs promotions guy.

4) Alex also finally has some permanent A's to hang with, since Kirky, Sparling and Stich were named alternate captains (and just in time for me to see them in their As - meow ...tomorrow my sweet, secret, Sea Dog lovers).

Boyfriends:

5) If you have been living in a hole, or alternately have stuck your head in a hole because our team is such a disaster that you do not actually want to know what shitty thing has just transpired...well too bad You are about to find out. Our 'superstar' Logan MacMillan has gone and done in his knee for the next 2-4 weeks by supposedly banging it into a goalpost. I presume he was trying to hump Mark Yetman and the goalpost got in the way. As the lowest-scoring team in the league it always helps when one of your best point getters, shut-down master and trade-baitiest player gets injured just before a showcase event like the Canada-Russia Challenge.

6) Also, 19 year old rookie defenceman RD Chisholm has been released from the Mooseheads. Of the 16 regular season games played so far, RD was let out of the pressbox for only 6. He was a -4 for the season. Oh Ronald Duncan, I barely knew thee. Isn't it funny that RD was the guy released when he was actually the guy we called up for the playoffs last year and deemed worthy to play a post-season game after Richie Greer (who) had spent all season sitting in the press box just awaiting his turn. The Mooseheads now have 8 defencemen and 15 forwards on the current roster...having dropped Chisholm to make a space for that big ol' sniper Matt Boland. You do recognize sarcasm when you read it right? Good. My audience is not stoopid.

7) I sometimes wonder how we decide to pick our 'extra players' (ouija board) since we seem to aquire only sub-sub-sub-par players from other teams. The Sea Dogs go to the OHL and are able to pick up some pretty good rejects. We don't do that... but I wonder if team management has ever though to look into picking up players from teams that are a bit too deep. Teams that have players in their system that are good enough to play QMJHL hockey, but there is just no space for them on the current roster (which btw is usually less than 25 players). Players, that had they been drafted by another team, would be playing in the Q right now. Players like- oh, I don't know, hmmm, Tyler Noseworthy. I know he is not a scoring machine...but I'm just saying. Come on, we are in love (we may not actually be in love); just get me what I want, please. I can beg. Don't make me beg!!! I would go so far as to give Patenaude kisses if he can bring forth my unrequited love and put him into the ol' red, green (sometimes black) and white.

8) For shits and giggles I suggest you check out the new hockey-lover's mock dating website Zamboni Harmony, which is run by Heather of the Spokane Chief's blog - Wrap Around Curl and Lori of the Penguin's blog - Hockey, Football and Stiletto Shoes. Yours truely will not be putting her dirty mind to good use for Zamboni Harmony- I already know what I want.

9) UNB will be playing Saint Mary's at SMU this Sunday (while the Moose simultaneously take on the Olympiques). I will be skipping the Moose to see both an angel and a demon. The Demon, being a creature forged by the sexy hand of Satan himself (and object of all of my goalie related desires), will likely sit on a bench for 2.5-3 hours and yawn. I will also be watching a creature so amazing that he symbolizes everything that is good in this world: like butterflies, puppies, unicorns and foie-gras (shut up, it is f'n delicious). Oh Andrew White *sighs*, I miss you.

When the Fog rolls in...

I know I am slow. I was drinking last night so not only was I too drunkenly lazy to write a blog post, but I also did something stupidly regrettable. I had to recover from my shame before I could get around to posting.

So the Mooseheads faced off against the St John’s Fog Devils Montreal Junior last night and were defeated by a score of 4-1. Eric Louis-Seize (assisted by Gabriel O'Connor) had the lone goal for Halifax. Dion (2 goals), MacDougall, and Grenache found the back of the Mooseheads net for Montreal. Mark Yetman had the loss for Halifax stopping 23 of 27 shots and allowing one PP goal. The Mooseheads outshot the Junior 33 to 27.

Jake Allen was spectacular in nets for the Fog Devils turning aside 32 of 33 shots for the win. Let me just say that he was never that impressive last season when he was in town with the Fog Devils. He was, however, not doing a whole hell-of-a-lot of that famous Jake Allen puck handling. He did do one nice smooth pass to one of his teammates who was waiting on the Mooseheads side of the neutral zone. I also noticed that he only cuts the ice in front of the posts - how bizarre.

If Jake Allen would hug me like he hugs that post I would buy him some proper socks to match his gear.

How were the Moose? They were not defensively responsible. Rookie defenceman Ryan Matheson ended the night a -2, and he was left all alone in our zone trying to stop MacDougall on that second goal. Where the hell was everybody? I also have to wonder where everybody was on the fourth goal when Grenache was parked right in front of the net and waiting on a nice clean pass to get that goal.

Every time you fail to be defensively responsible in your own zone a Yeti dies. No wonder they are going extinct.

At least Logan MacMillan can win faceoffs. He was a machine, winning 17 of 27 faceoffs. I was very amused by his answer in the game day program: Q- What are his game day rituals? -Answer: I don't talk to Justin Pender. Yeah, I wouldn't want to catch a case of the IR Penders either. Also, MacMillan likes Polar bears. All together now - ahhhhhhhhh.

I just like this picture and needed an excuse to post it.

______________________________________

News:
We added a new player to our protected list.
Matthew Wuest (metro): Game Notes: Junior 4, Mooseheads 2 (yeah that's a mistake)
Willy Palov (Chronicle Herald): Moose fall to Junior
Chris Cochrane (Chronicle Herald): Patenaude Answers the criticisms

This Cochrane article made me laugh milk out of my nose thusly :^::::::::::: (Thanks IPB)

While explaining his acquisition of European import Radek Vlasanek from Bathurst, for a sixth-round pick in 2010, Patenaude conceded he was baffled by negative public reaction to the deal.

Vlasanek, says Patenaude, is short-term help for a losing team that needs more veteran presence. He notes the Mooseheads can use such a player to help with the development of fellow import Tomas Knotek.

How can acquiring a big slow player with 22 points last season help a with the development of a fast skilled player who had 66 points in last year's regular season?

Patenaude also dismisses another criticism, a common one made here, that by adding another veteran on a rebuilding team it means more press box time for another prospect.

"If you go only young, it could be a mess and it’s not motivating for the coaches and not motivating for the players. And we have to respect the other players here. They want to have a good season too."

There is absolutely NO NEED to carry 25 players. We carry too many players and too many older players that are no better than our young rookies. YOU give ME a break. Dude, we are the oldest and suckiest team in the division. No really, here are the average ages of each team in the Atlantic:
Mooseheads = 18.269
Titan = 17.826
Sea Dogs = 18.0
Screaming Eagles = 18.217
Rocket = 18.167
Wildcats = 18.16

Dump the useless 19 year olds (sorry guys) and let the youngins learn from experience. OK now I officially sound like everyone else. Der.

Just to prove that I am not as stupid as the average fan I will point out some stupid things I saw last night. 1) One chick kept trying to take pictures with her camera right up against the glass and with her flash on. Every picture was white - she never caught on what was wrong. 2) During the t-shirt toss there was a person (adult) behind the net banging on the glass and wanting a t-shirt tossed in their direction. They were upset that they were not getting a shirt - look up stupid - yes, that's netting.

______________________________

Sea Dogs:

...are currently defeating the Montreal Junior by a score of 3-0. My Kirky has a goal. During their last game against PEI my Kirky had 2 goals. So far this season he has 6 goals and 3 assists in 11 games. I like my Kirky. I just want another excuse to link to this picture again - ohhh Diva.

It is spelled MacAskill

The new season is rapidly approaching. Soon I shall have practically a whole new team of cuddle partners to keep me warm over the long, cold Canadian winter. I am going to do a little coverage of what is left of my team, then later I will take a quick look at who is eligible to fill all of those gaping holes.

This is not meant to be an in depth analysis, I don’t have the skills for that. It is just a simple way of showing what the Mooseheads have left – which is not much We are a bare skeleton of a team that needs a huge bowl of Pro-stars cereal to keep from looking so damn anorexic. The sugar-high is nice though.

Forwards:

Returning:
Andrew White – RW – 20
Logan MacMillan – LW - 19
Yuri Cheremetiev – C - 19
Eric Louis-XVI – LW - 19
Tomas Knotek – C- 18
Travis Randell – C -17

Acquired:
Linden Bahm – RW - 19

Rookies:
Matt Snow – LW - 19

We need at least 12 forwards, we currently have 8.

Offensively, Tomas Knotek and Logan MacMillan are most likely to put up the points. By the end of last season Tomas was moved to the 3^rd line and was working on his defensive game a bit more. He will probably be back to centering the 1^st line again this season, which means there will be a lot of pressure on his offensive game. Hopefully he can continue to develop his defensive side.

Logan is the most complete player we have. He is expected to be on the PP, and the PK, all the while logging 1^st line ice time. If I am lucky he will continue to fight and lose his jersey. If I am unlucky he will be weakened by overexertion and miss half the year.

Andrew White is also a complete player. You can stick him anywhere and he doesn’t seem to complain. It will be weird if Andrew is moved up to the first line. I think his offensive productivity last season was mostly due to the fact that our team was ‘so deep’ that players from the other teams did not see Andrew, the little, grindey 3^rd line shut-down guy, as a target – they had bigger Czech fish to fry. Andrew does his best work when he is not a target. We will have to see how he adjusts in going from shifty eyed, unassuming, third-line guy with his jersey tucked in, to 1^st line superstar. He had a bit of time on the 2^nd line last season and he was still able to rack-up points, but I personally like Andrew more for his defensive game.

Yuri Cheremetiev is our faceoff specialist but has played little more than third-or forth line ice time for most of his career. Last season his offensive prowess did not increase with increased playing time or a change in line pairings. Will this season be any different?

Neither Eric Louis-Seize (ELXVI - seen here wearing a suit), nor Travis (ol’ man) Randell had much ice time last season. Randell supposedly has a strong offensive upside which he should be able to develop more this season after being used in a shut-down role for the 46 games he played last season. Please remember that our shut down line was not actually used as a shut down line against the other team's top lines before we make any conclusions about the shut down skills of our shut down players. Wha? Exactly!

ELXVI, despite being 19 this season, has done little more than play on the 4th line and hit people. I guess we cross our fingers and pray that he can do more than hit. Well, I mean everyone else has to pray – I don’t pray… and I thoroughly enjoy nice big hits. If we give ELXVI more ice time for the sole purpose of throwing more big hits, I would probably still be very happy.

Defence:

Returning:
Graham Bona – L - 20
Justin Pender – L - 20
Ben MacAskill – R -19
Gabriel O’Connor – R - 18
Richard Greer – R - 17

Rookies:
R.D. Chisholm – L - 19

We need at least 6 defence, we have 5. You count 6, but we really only have 5. We also have to make the choice which of Pender or Bona we will be keeping as our overager. If we want to scare people and concentrate on our defence we keep Bona (and we don’t let him shave the back of his neck *shudder*). If we want to make people laugh and have more of an offensive upside with someone to play the point on the PP then we keep Pender. If our future is anything like our past we will have 9 Ds, most of which will be poopy and underdeveloped and the majority of our forwards will think themselves too fancy pantsed to bother helping out on the back-end.

Ben MacAskill is OK when he doesn’t stop to think or smell the roses. Perhaps he should be avoiding all of Cam Russell’s game plans and just clear the puck. We had a bad tendency to hold on to the puck in our own end, trying to do some mysteriously fancy thing with it and then get it would nabbed from us – in the slot. The outcome here is predictable. Sometimes, after a long bout of frivolous fancypantsing Ben would be the only boy to say “fuck this noise” and just clear it out along the boards. If I had one thing to say to our smart, sweet, cuddly Ben it is that deep thoughts will get you nowhere – just clear the puck.

The ghost of Ben MacAskill

You have a secret girlfriend in my girl A.N. She is awesome – you did good! She likes you for your big body, your sciencey brain, your pink cheeks and your seemingly gentle demeanor. Hockey skills? What's that? Remember that time you fell down during the Titan game? Benny fall down go boom. She laughed at you but she still proclaims her love. You are the cheese on her macaroni. Don’t stress about the little mistakes and remember that love is unconditional.

Speaking of Ben, I find it delightfully hilarious that some people (my boyfriend included) can’t spell MacAskill. We live in Nova Scotia, half of the population have a surname of McThis or MacThat (such as my MacBoyfriend). Why on earth would anybody then think to call him Ben MaCaskill, or in the case of one of my fellow scientist MaCeachern; it is spelled MacAskill and McEachern. Dearest boyfriend is not surnamed MaCboyfriend. Honestly, does anybody here know of someone whose surname begins with MaSomethingorother. The answer is a resounding NO.

The only reason Gabe O’Connor got as much ice time as he did in the second half of this season was because of Lund’s injury and management’s kicking Nick Goyens to the curb. Once Gabe started to get some regular ice time he became a better defenceman. I know, go figure hey! Who ever would have thought that actually getting to play the game would make you better at it? This would have been his draft year. All those 1^st round draft picks in this years NHL draft – I am sure they got plenty of ice time over the past two years…because some teams play their defencemen. Now if only Gabe could learn how to keep the puck in the opponents’ zone and stop daydreaming (he is probably thinking of me) when he is standing at that blueline.

Richard Greer – who? 13 games!!! Yeah , that’s how we develop our defencemen. But we were in a ‘going for it year’ which is why little 16 year old Richie had to sit in the press box. Richie (drafted in the second round, #25 overall, is too teeny at 6ft and 170 lbs to play defence for a contending team…he is no 1^st overall pick Simon Despres (Sea Dogs). I mean if Richie could play then Gatineau would have to play Hubert Labrie. Labrie (also 16 last season) was drafted in the second round, #29 overall, is 5’10 158 lbs and only played 69 games on the president’s cup winning team…Oh wait.

Goaltenders:

Mark Yetman – 20

Oh Mark, we have such a love hate relationship don’t we? You are a goalie, my goalie, and it is my sworn duty to love my goalies, but you are so damn butterfly. You need an upside! Most conservative butterfly goaltenders (Mior, Bernier, Riopel) are quite keen on playing the puck. Not you though. Would you please play the puck for me? Play it like it’s a lady. We know you can play the ladies. Show me what ya got!

Ya know what else would be nice:
1) not letting a puck in the net on the first shot
2) being on your game all year and not just in September, October and April.
3) no more over-committing on plays
4) be more careful about what you are trying to usurp. Someone’s place in nets - OK, other unmentionables - not so much
5) stay cute

That gives us:
three 20 year olds
six 19 year olds
two 18 year olds
two 17 year olds
and I thought this was a rebuilding season! Bring on the baybees!!!

Oh, and apparently our Logo is poo! Agreed!

What is, or has, gone down!

Late July is the time to think about volunteering. As such, some presumed Moose alums (Ryan Hillier and Andrew Bodnarchuk) are out and about volunteering their time. They spent yesterday at a daycare in Bedford playing floor hockey, and today at a daycare in Cole Harbour - probably playing more floor hockey.


Speaking of Mooseheads, our own Yuri Cheremetiev along with a number of other QMJHL players (such as Lewiston's Denis Reul) will be participating in the Chowder cup tournament. The Chowder cup is not the prize for a chowder eating tournament, nor is it the prize for a chowder making soup-off. If it were, I would be there as a soup sampler. It is a hockey thing, and because this is an American hockey thing I will leave all chowder related coverage to the Americans, so for more details on the Chowder cup check out the Asylum.
*edit - more Chowder cup participants from the Maritimes are detailed in this T&T writeup.


PEI has a small hockey league of its own - the Super Summer Hockey League, which is comprised of 4 teams with a number of QMJHL players from PEI, including Logan MacMillan, every Gallant boy that was ever spawned and half of the PEI Rocket (may be an overestimation). League Games run from July 23 to August 21.


NHL.com is doing a new prospects feature. The first feature discusses prospects from the Anaheim Ducks. They take a look at both the Mooseheads' Logan MacMillan and the Huskies' Maxime Macenauer. Speaking of which, where the hell is Huskies player Brett Morrison, Anaheim's 2007 5th round pick? Was he not invited to camp this year? Did Bryce so fully turn the Ducks off of kids from Cape Breton that they decided to take it out on my wee elvin sprig Brett? Anyway, enough about Brett, this is what they had to say about Logan:

It was a tough season for MacMillan, the son of former NHL forward Bobby MacMillan and the Ducks' first-round pick (No. 19) in 2007. "He got smoked from behind in an exhibition game last year and had a serious concussion," Murray said. "He never really got going until the end of the year."

MacMillan, who turned 19 on July 5, was limited to 46 games with Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and put up just 15 goals and 41 points. He was better in the playoffs, with three goals and 13 points in 15 games.

"He lost his confidence a little bit and he was struggling to score," Murray said. "But by the end of the year, he was playing hard again and playing well, the way he was the year before. The concussion set him back a bit, but he's been symptom-free for a long time now.

He's a really good two-way, hard-nosed hockey player who can play in all areas of the ice. The time he missed, he has to catch up on, but we really like him."

The prospects report for the Thrashers is also available. They discuss both Angelo Esposito (Remparts/ Montreal) and my former #1 Q squeeze Ondrej Pavelec (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles alum).



Sea Dogs:
The Sea Dogs have updated their website and now have a feature "Looking back on 07-08: Sea Dogs Community Summary Part 1" which Chronicles the Sea Dogs participation in community events, and the money raised by the Sea Dogs for various charitable causes from September to December of 2007. Yes there are pictures, albeit squishy - but this is easily remedied by "coping image location" and opening the images in a new window.

AHHHH Dogs - it ain't called the CHL (Cougarbait Hockey League) for nothing, and given the tender age of boys in this league you can begin your adventures in cougaring at the ripe old age of 22.

Fully looks like a skeazy hot mess (nothing new there). Even when he takes a bad picture he still somehow makes me feel molestey feelings. For that he must be punished, and so if I am not writing something that would make him feel uncomfortable (should he ever read this) then I am not very good at doing my job of punishing him. Are these faces that only a mother could love? This is not my team and yet I want to adopt them and hold them lovingly to my bosom. I like how they are all out in the community volunteering with cuts and scars all over their faces...all that is except for Yann, who always look perfect. As for the rest of the Dogs, I still love them despite their pimples, wounds, awkwardness etc. I hope next years Sea Dogs team has as much thrall as last years Sea Dogs team - they should, they are practically the same team, all but for 4 or 5 players.

Kirkpatrick, Despres and Charland have a "that dog has a puffy tail" effect on me. "Here puff! Here puff!". I'll be there watching hockey and the next thing I know I am giggling and clapping like an idiot because I saw Despres skate by. I am so mystically drawn to these three for reasons that I will not explain here. I think that all three are well deserving of cookies.


Mo' stuff:
You can read a Scouting report from the Flyers Development camp here.
Prospect camp photos can also be found on Flickr. Squirrels is that you? Jeremy is # 35!


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Sea Dogs baseball team photo from the Sea Dogs website.

Eating Duck would be sacrilegious

Newly minted Anaheim Duck Logan MacMillan was interviewed by Matthew Wuest for today's edition of the Metro. He doesn't discuss where we will be going to dinner, or what luxurious gifts he will be buying me with that $262,500 signing bonus , but we have both decided that eating Duck would be a tad bit sacrilegious. Here is what the boy had to say:

Logan MacMillan received a handsome signing bonus and an equally generous vote of confidence yesterday.

Coming off an up-and-down season he would rather forget, the Halifax Mooseheads forward signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks.

The Orange County Register reports the contract is valued at more than $2.3 million if he plays all three seasons in the NHL, plus a guaranteed signing bonus of $262,500.

“It’s a big relief and it’s exciting for me at the same time to get that part over with,” MacMillan told Metro Halifax last night. “I was looking to get a deal done and it just kind of came together. It’s another step. The work starts from here.”

...“It feels good they still believe in me and they liked what I’ve been doing,” the 19-year-old said. “It’s a vote of confidence from them to put that faith in me after an up-and-down year.”

...“He was great,” Ducks senior vice president of hockey operations Bob Murray told the Orange County Register. “His attitude and his liveliness were so much different at this camp (than last year). He’s feeling a whole lot better about himself.”

Because MacMillan is 19, he must either make the Ducks’ NHL roster next season — an unlikely scenario — or return to the Mooseheads. He cannot play in the minors.

One Moose in and one Moose out. The Ducks have some seriously mad chi balancing skills.

MacMillan gets his Money

Logan MacMillan has signed a three year deal with the Ducks. I know this must be true because Wuest told me so and even the Ducks told me so. Finally, Logan news that I am not 3 weeks late in reporting on.

This makes Logan 1000x smarter than teammate Bryce Swan, oops I mean :<[), who would not sign with the Ducks, did not get re-drafted, and has not been invited to any NHL development camps.

Dear Logan,
Do you remember when I said I loved you? Of all the 'stars' on our team you were the scrappiest, not the yappiest. This is good because being all yap and no scrap will get you nowhere, and yap alone will most certainly not get you a date with Q girl. Furthermore, you did all the things I like, like fight and be excellently defencey. I salivate in the very presence of a good two-way forward.

When you take me on a date, because you feel the need to spend some of your hard earned moola in celebration, may I suggest you not show up in makeup (ugh those draft pics). I don't care if you have pimples as long as you are sporting a nice, well tailored suit.

I am a classy lady, none of that East Side Mario's or Applebees for me. No really, I am dead serious. Who in this town serves wild game besides Halliburton House? Maybe we can make it a meal at Onyx, something with truffle shavings, maybe a little duck or lamb, and one of those pricey wines recommended by Brad Richards. You know Brad right, he is that other guy from PEI. Oh yeah, and if you can finagle it, bring Brad too. You know I'm down like that.

Anyway darling, if Onyx is not your thing, I hear the steaks at Cut are good and they serve Foie Gras (with port reduction). Port reduction on my foie gras!!! Yeah, I think Cut is totally the place to go.

Love and "signing bonus fueled kisses with tongue"
Q-girl

Development/Conditioning Camps

Nothing much is transpiring right now in the world of QMJHL hockey. Development camps have begun for many NHL teams, and I have heard no word on any invites for Sea Dogs goaltender Travis Fullerton, which is a damn dirty shame. Robert Mayer, on the other hand, has been invited to Montreal for their development camp. Life is sometimes so unfair to goalies. Travis was a motherfuckin' madman between the pipes, and he never quit on a rebound. He usually had me clench fisted and screaming "ohhhhhhhh yeah, oh, OH, oh, ohhhhh YES, YESSSSSSSS" at the little video box on my computer screen. Satisfying!!! If all else fails, I hope that citizen Fullerton remembers that he is still invited to the development camp in my pants.

I somehow missed that unsigned LA kings prospect Joey Ryan (Gatineau) was invited to NYR development camp. Blueshirt Bulletin has posted this description of Ryan: "The large crop of free agents was largely unimpressive. One player stood out -- Joe Ryan, the only one in the group who had once been drafted. The space between his ears was the reason for his fall from grace, according to one observer present who knew a bit more about him than the rest of us. But he looked good on the ice." Oh poor Joey, not so smart eh? Here, have a cookie!

As for Ryan Hillier:

Sarah over at Neutral Zone Trap has been to the arena to check out the first day of development camp for the Columbus Blue Jackets. She had this to say about Jakub Voracek: “Voracek looked a little out of sorts. His skill was obvious, but he seemed to be making some mistakes, and looked frustrated at times. Hopefully just working out the kinks.”

Let me guess: someone just skated up and stole the puck from him as he was nearing the blue line. Also, he failed to back check. Did I get that right? Do I get a prize? Oh Sarah, please wrap Mior (Gatineau) in a pretty bow for me and ship him here. Put a little note on him that says “for your own personal goalie development camp”.

I know what you are thinking; you are thinking: "both Fully and Mior? Slut!!!". While I am sitting here thinking that I should be able to accommodate at least three in my development camp*. Mmmm Fully and Mior - I would be in a sea of crazy blue goalie eyes; both boys look mildly insane. But, alas no! There really is no development camp in my pants because I could not get funding from the government to rent an extra apartment, or 'sin bin' as it were. Also, we all know that goalies never get to go to the box, and that in itself is a damn dirty shame, because goalies get away with doing all sorts of bad things and then never have to serve their time (Yeah, you know who you are).

Eric at Hockey Buzz also checked out the Blue Jackets and was a little more positive about Jakub. Eric thinks that "Jakub Voracek was a man among boys! Absolute stud that has hands and vision that almost every player in the NHL would dream to have. He even had a time where he fought off a check on a 2 on 2 drill and still built speed going to the net. He is the real deal!"

The Ducks have a feature article on Logan MacMillan at their website. Why am I always slow on the Logan news? I love me some hardworking, backchecking, nostril flaring, makeup wearing...wait, why does Logan look like a makeup victim in these pictures? Did Steve Mason get to him?

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*I am really getting into this foursome thing. Unfortunately, while at first it has you screaming halleliljah, afterwards you feel all Huseliused.

Hillier Image from Blueshirt Bulletin

Eeeek

Trade talk and the draft is discussed by Wuest in his latest blog post. He states that:

Yetman, who projects as Halifax’s starting goaltender next season, is virtually guaranteed not to be dealt. MacMillan will be sought after by contenders such as the Memorial Cup host Rimouski Oceanic, as will White, to a lesser extent.

“Nobody’s untouchable,” Patenaude said. “If I get serious offers for any of our players, it’s going to be discussed. If a team will give us what they’re worth, we’ll do it.”

I say "noooooooo, not my Whitey. Trust me Rimouski you don't want Whitey " (grasps Andrew White tightly to my bosom). "He only had 34 points this season...and he is a biter. I don't even think he is house trained. No, this guy in my arms isn't Whitey" (slips an Earle jersey onto White), "he's just some MJAHL player of similar origin and build - see Earle. Move along now Riki, move along!"

Also, Logan has to avoid doing that nostril flare thing, it is not pretty. I have seen it up close and I was like "damn- those are nostrils". Don't ever sit behind the bench, unless you want to see and smell things that no girl should want to see and smell.

Ohhh Moose News, Logan News...Hooray

Our very own Logan MacMillan was called up to the AHL's Portland Pirates on Wednesday. If you are not smart in Draftee ways, Logan was Anaheim's 1st round draft pick in 2007, and Portland are the baby Ducks. The Portland Pirates are currently playing the Baby Penguins in the Eastern division semi- finals. The pirates currently lead the series 2-1. Hooray for Logan (even though he is probably not playing, but is just sitting in a press box looking Lebeouf-y) and GOOD LUCK TO THE PIRATES.

Kick me, I was slow on this one.

Logan re-enacting happy draft moments as he prepares to join the baby Ducks

The fanatical musings of a fanatical (fill in the blank)

Is it horrible that there are players on our 2007/2008 team that I don't like? I mean I really, really dislike them. Am I a bad person? There is probably no real reason that I do not like them...I just don't get the attraction to them, and some of them were very popular. Sometimes I assign shifty personalities to players, thinking some may be more arrogant than others, while with others I embrace their shifty ways. If a player is good on the Penalty kill I usually like them, I totally embrace those that can backcheck.

So it is true that when I said "I love all 25 of you" - I lied.

Graham Bona
I like underdogs. Sometimes I hate how certain players got away with a lot of shit while others were repeatedly torn down by fans when they made the same mistakes as our 'stars'. The harder people come down on certain players the more I like them - for example Bona (and also Monast). I know he is a hometown boy (while I am generally an anti-homer), and that by being a hometown boy some people will like him just because... but some people could also be really harsh with him. Not me though - I would be all over Bona with a bucket of ice cream and spoon. I really like GrahamBo. Graham is a defensive defenseman, and one can make a good living just staying at home - ask Colin White.

At first our fans complained that our defense was not defensive enough (it really was a huge problem). Then when the defense finally decided to step it up, they complained that the defense was not offensive enough, and that there was no one to QB the powerplay. But...maybe we did have another defenseman to QB the powerplay - but there was no way in hell our coaches were taking Jake off of the point, and that was that. During the final game of the season against Saint John we had neither Voracek nor Bodnarchuk to play the point on the PP, and all three of our goals were scored on the PP, with our PP efficiency at 50%. Clearly some of the other guys could get the job done.

Anyway my point is: when you have a team which is loaded with offense for depth in scoring and then complain because on a roster with 9 defenseman, where we have two purely defensive defensemen, that those defenseman are just not getting it done for your offense, may I suggest you go to your bathroom - look in the mirror and tell yourself to fuck off.

Logan MacMillan
I used to not like Logan - I never understood why he was drafted to the NHL first round. Then he got injured and his production went down - way down. Now he is fighting tooth and nail for every scrap he can get his hands on (even though he was given the privilege of top line ice time). Sometimes he is literally fighting. He is also wonderfully defensive. I now love Logan MacMillan. If he is our 'star' player next year and gets his 'Diva on' I might go back to not liking him. My mind works in weird ways.

Also ...sometimes I think Logan MacMillan looks like Shia Labeouf. I don't know if that is good or bad.

...and the Volts just keep getting hotter
I think the Volts scout and draft by appearance. They run their team like I would run a team - draft that kid, I like his name and he is as cute as 1000 puppies in a basket made of kitten skins. Damn, that team consistently churns out hottie, after hottie, after hottie. That is not the bunny in me speaking, that is fact - take those boys out of hockey gear and they are still cute. How the fuck do they do it? Oh, me and my Volt coloured glasses. Drummondville are about to get 1000 x hotter in the goaltending department with the addition of Antoine Tardif (to be received at the draft for the Paris/Fréchette/Dyke trade at Christmas). Oh, how I wanted Tardif here. I figured maybe we could finagle a trade ...but then I realized that we would break him, so he is better off with the Volts. Tardif has been out of the Bathurst lineup for the majority of the second half because he has been suffering with pain from an ankle injury (with torn ligaments) which occurred in late January. It turns out that Antoine will require arthroscopic surgery for his ankle. Let's hope he has a speedy recovery. This is me throwing air kisses to Antoine's ankle.

Trades and the draft:
If rumour is true, The Mooseheads have made the dumbest trade in trade history. They supposedly agreed to trade 'unsung hero' PJ Corsi (getter of 28 points since Jan 1st) at the draft for enforcer David Bouchard (3 point getter since Jan 1st). Both boys are 19: PJ is a keeper - he is hitty and gritty; David is a sleeper - he will not be in the Q next year. So when all is said and done Drummondville gets two 4th round draft picks, one for 2008, and one for 2009 (do we get one back?) and an excellent 20 year old for the 2008-2009 season. We get a penalty prone enforcer who is more a liability because of his reputation, for half of a season.

We also supposedly traded first round rookie pick David Gilbert, a second round pick in 2008, and one of our top two defensemen - Guillaume Monast (at the draft), all for Maxime Sauve...only so we could turn around and give up Sauve and another 1000 draft picks for the next bajillion years only to land Brad Marchand for half a season.

Maxime is 18 and is expected to be an NHL first round draft pick this year. He also played on a lower tier team and yet statistically for the second half of the regular season:

Maxime "les sourcils" Sauve - 6 PIM
29 games 14 goals 17 assists = 31 pts

Brad Marchand - 40 PIM
26 games 10 goals 19 assists = 29 pts

They say hindsight is 20:20, but I personally had a ton of foresight this season...I said in October "the last thing we need is another Centre". However, to think of all that we gave up for Marchand (it has been said over and over again by EVERYBODY, so there is no need to rehash it)...at least Sauve was less of a liability and he could have brought some 'future game' and awesome 'eyebrow power'.

Anyway, wasn't I talking about Monast....let's get back to him. Now don't get me wrong, we can only have 3 twenty year old players, and I like Yeti, I like Andrew White, I like GrahamBo, but from a purely cold and calculated GM standpoint...who would you rather have: Corsi or White? Monast or Bona? Either Corsi or Monast over Yetman? Why were Monast and Corsi traded? Ce n'est pas difficile à comprendre.

Do not turn this around on me and say my Marchand argument should also apply to this...the 'go for the better player theory'. The point is that at the time we did not need him and we gave away everything to get him. Next year we will need good experienced players and we have left ourselves with only 3 guys who have played more than 4th line ice time, nor do we have the best possible group of 20 year olds. We do not have a single returning player who is statistically >1 PPG for last season. Only 3 are greater than 0.5 PPG. At least I can say that some of the possible returning 20 year olds have character and are grittastic.

Simon Després:
There is a Simon Després fanclub page on facebook. There are pictures of Baby Simon with his Baby Hockey trophies. He is tooooo adorable. Why does he make me want children? I hate children! But I like Baby Simon Després just like I like Baby Steve Mason. Baby hockey players - collect them all. I will have to create a rift in the space time continuum so that I can feed cookies to both Baby Simon and teenage Simon simultaneously. I seriously hope the Penguins don't try to get their grubby hands on him in the 2009 draft.

Dear Andrew White,
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. It really does! My brain might not belong to you but my heart sure does. You are my favorite now! I might try to scratch you behind the ears because puppies like that and you are so good at ice-puppy tricks.

Are you being a carpenter again this summer? Ohhh, you are so useful outside of the arena. If we were friends we could drink beer and discuss the Scandinavian aesthetics upon which our line of birdhouses and squirrel houses would be based. We could then go out, get really drunk, and make fun of everybody. In my drunken stupor I might try to pet you. Then we'd head home to catch the third period of some West coast hockey, only to pass out together on the sofa and wake up confused and really hungover with our feet in each other's faces. I would make you coffee and waffles for breakfast and it would be delicious. Wait...you would build me a bird house right?
Love
Q-girl

Mooseheads vs Eagles: Game 5 - real tears were shed

In what was a seemingly equally well played game, Halifax managed to net a big point differential, pulling out 2 empty net goals in the last minute of play to defeat the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 5-2 and bring this series to a close. Wuest's blog transcript has all the details on how the Mooseheads win the Battle of Nova Scotia.

Cape Breton must have taken crying lessons from Jonathan Bernier back when Lewiston lost in Sydney. The waterworks were really flowing – Brodeur was a sweet little mess. Mad props to the Capers for giving us some hard fought games, and for displaying such loyalty to each other and to their captain. They seem like a tight crew, which they would have to be to all agree on that ridiculous ‘do’.

Halifax will carry on to round 3 and face Squirrels and the Olympiques. It will also be a battle of Newfy netminders. Actually, now that I think of it only 1 francophone remains among the starting goaltenders, and for all of the Gougeon bashing I do (because he has the doucheiest facial hair and he is short so he looks like he is wearing his mommy’s gear), he has really impressive post season numbers. Never mind that Rouyn Noranda swept both series they have played so far. He currently leads the league in playoffs with a 1.76 GAA and 0.944 save %.

Pier chewed gum and waved at the people while looking very uncomfortable as he was wished ‘happy birthday’. The MC forgot Bouchard’s birthday even though game day (April 11 – happy belated birthday) was his actual birthday. I think P-O’s discomfort in front of the camera stems from shame over that hideous playoff growth on his face. While I am obsessed with his beauty I find the face hair totally skeezy. It doesn’t work for everyone. Jonathan Bernier’s handlebar moustache was better than Pier’s patchy attempt at…what is that - random growth, a chinstrap, massive sideburns? I can’t tell. I fear that my affection is beginning to wain. I can’t just like a goalie for how they look, despite how it may seem…I am really not that shallow. They need to be pounded by pucks, standing in blue ice, being acrobatic, getting sweaty and wearing the helmet for me to thoroughly get my ‘sigh’ on. Maybe if I make it to the game early to catch him in warm ups with the helmet on and stopping the occasional puck my love will be invigorated.

In other goalies that were actually playing news, Mark was excellently boring again: position, stop puck, position, stop puck, do not play the puck, get back into position….stop puck. Yeti stopped 30 of 32 pucks thrown his way and as such was awarded 1^st star of the game. He had a very nice glove save at some point but the power of Yeti’s glove save is far outweighed by the power of Olivier Roy’s awesomea glove saves. No more wasting shots on net by going glove side on this kid, it is virtually useless. Remember this for next season.

Roy managed to block 33 of 36 shots from entering the net and was awarded 3^rd star. I am sure I will eventually grow to love him, his trooper like nature when injured (his own man skated into his head when he was down on the puck- owwww), his weird puck throwing ways, and his pouty lip. It would just be too obscene right now given that he is still only 16 years old (but still manages to grow a better beard than Pier).

Logan MacMillan finally got a goal. No really, finally... I feel I have been waiting forever for that one. Ryan Hillier was the machine of the night with two goals including the game winner while Pridham secured the game with an empty net goal. Marchand then super secured the game with another ENG with 1 second remaining on the clock. Both of Cape Breton’s markers were put in by “A for results” Chris Culligan with assists by Slaney and Ouellet.

Halifax took 6 penalties, allowing Cape Breton two 5 on 3 PP opportunities. What is unusual is that Andrew White was actually assessed two minor penalties. White does not normally take penalties. During his 64 regular season games he had 29 PIM. Only Knotek (18 PIM) and Pridham (28 PIM) took less penalties.

Once in the box Whitey put on his ‘I am going to kill you now eyes’ and exclaimed “holy fuck……fuck (something)”. It was actually kinda cute, but I am biased because I like him, his good positioning, his hard work ethic and his shifty ‘I am going to kill you now’ eyes so much. I like him more with every passing day, and there is no real excuse for this exponential growth in affection. They left him in the box and threw Logan in there with him and inside the box became very angry and full of dirty looks and “holy fuck” combined with “fuck this” faces. The box is probably now haunted by the spirits of two very angry boys.

I actually had a dream featuring Andrew once, and in my dream he was a total…mmmm how to put this delicately…ass, and yet it only made me like him more. I came out of it thinking 'mmmmm saucy'.

Oh, and remember how I said I cursed the answer to the question “steak or sushi”, well I actually cursed the question. Bryce Swan, who was out of the game with a concussion was Shannon’s guest for ‘the quick card minute’ and this was his second time doing 10 questions, so she asked him some new questions which did not include the steak question. Yes my jinxing powers are just that strong.